Lost in Darkness
by relena soulheart
Summary: Kaida couldn't understand what was going on with her lately. Who were these strangers in her dreams? What is her mother Maleficent hiding from her? And most of all, who is she really? My revision of Lost in the Dark. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hey guys! :)**_

_**Sorry for the **__**EXTREMELY**__** long wait. I've been pretty busy with schoolwork, but we all know how that is right?**_

_**Anyway, just as I promised, here is the new and improved version of my previous fanfic Lost in the Dark! Yay! **_

_**Hope you like it! Enjoy! :)**_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Everything was peacefully quiet outside of the grand Castle of Dreams. It was late in the evening as the guards patrolled the courtyard. But little did they realize that the peace and tranquility will be short-lived.

A guard standing at the castle gate struggled to stay awake, his eyes constantly wanting to close shut. Fatigue was about to overpower him when –

*snap!*

His eyes snapped wide open and scanned the area, but he could see nothing but the woods near the edge of the castle grounds.

Little did he know, he didn't see a blur of yellow and orange scale the castle wall and disappear to the other side. The mysterious figure landed softly in the shrubs and stealthily made her way toward the castle.

This lurking intruder was a young girl of about 15 years old with jet black hair tied in a ponytail that went just below her shoulders, slightly tan skin, and hazel brown eyes. She wore a yellow and orange sleeveless jacket over light blue tan top, black shorts that went halfway down her thighs with hot pink straps hanging on the sides, and knee-high jet black boots.

She quickly and quietly arrived near the castle entrance and hid behind the bushes when she saw a guard coming her way. The royal guard took no notice of her as he walked right by where she was hiding. The sound of flapping wings reached her ear and she glanced up to see a red parrot fly down and land next to her.

"Did you find her Iago?" she asked quietly.

"Sure did! You bet!," Iago said a little loudly.

"SSHHHH!" She slapped her hand over his beak and ducked down in the bush just as the guard from before turned around.

Curious, the guard slowly walked over to the bushes where the hazel-eyed intruder was hiding. Drawing out his sword, he reached out toward the bushes and yanked them away and prepared to strike.

But much to his surprise, there was nothing there except for a few red feathers.

* * *

The ravenette let out a breath she was holding as she closed the castle doors behind her. _That was too close!_

"Nice going birdbrain!" she grumbled, "You almost got us caught!"

Iago groaned and hung his head as he hovered in the air. "Sorry, Kaida."

The ravenette shook her head as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Of all ones sent to keep tabs on me, it had to be a bird with a beak larger than its body…" _Seriously, how in the world could Jafar tolerate him? _she thought to herself.

Kaida walked down the long hallway until noticed the large staircase leading up to the second level. "This way to the princess?" The parrot vigorously nodded.

The hazel-eyed teenager walked up the stairs and up ahead she saw a grand ballroom. Kaida quickly hid behind one of the pillars and glanced at the people inside. A beautiful young blonde woman in a silver gown was waltzing with a dashing young man with short dark brown hair and wearing a fancy suit. On the other end of the ballroom, a tall, skinny, black-haired man wearing a fancy blue suit and a monocle watched as the couple danced to the beautiful music.

Looking at the dancing couple, Kaida focused her eyes on the blonde in the silver dress. Sensing a bright light radiating from within that woman, the ravenette knew that she's the one she came here for.

Her hazel eyes widened slightly as the princess and prince were replaced by another couple, continually dancing to the waltz.

The woman had short blue hair, blue eyes, and pale skin. Her attire composed of a navy blue halter top with two pink intersecting straps over her chest pinned with a silver heart emblem, black shorts with two pieces of white cloth around the waist, white bell sleeves with small pieces of armor on them, tan fingerless gloves, pointed metal shoes, and black thigh high stockings.

Her dance partner was a young man about a year older than her with brown hair that stopped at the base of his neck, slightly tan skin, and royal blue eyes. He was dressed in a tight black shirt with two red intersecting straps across his chest and tan samurai pants with the gold heart emblem on his belt. He had a black wristband on his right arm and armor on his left shoulder and dark brown and gold metal boots.

Kaida shut her eyes and shook her head. When she opened them, she only saw the princess and the prince. "What the-?"

The princess and prince stopped dancing when the music ended and they finished with a bow and curtsy. The ravenette stayed behind the pillar as the couple and who she assumed is a duke exit the ballroom.

"Now your majesty, your father would like to see you in the throne room," the duke said, addressing the prince.

The prince nodded and then turned to the princess. "I'll be back soon Cinderella," he said. He then kissed her hand and went with the duke to attend business elsewhere.

Cinderella was just about to head out when Kaida came out from behind the pillar and clasped a hand over Cinderella's mouth and held her arms behind her back. The princess screamed, but Kaida's gloved hand muffled the blonde's voice.

"Pardon me Princess Cinderella. You're needed elsewhere." An eerie violet aura emitted from Kaida's hand that was covering Cinderella's mouth and within seconds, the princess's body grew limp and collapsed in Kaida's arms.

Kaida carefully threw the princess over her shoulder. "Way to go Kaida!" Iago hollered, "We got her!"

The ravenette winced at the volume of the parrot's voice and harshly shushed the loud parrot.

"What was that?"

Kaida went to the balcony and noticed a few guards and the duke were coming toward the staircase.

"Way to go you birdbrain!" Kaida hissed, "Come on, let's get out of here!"

Extending her hand in front of her while securing Cinderella with the other, she summoned a dark corridor and she and Iago managed to escape just before the guards could stop them.

* * *

A silver-haired boy laid unconscious on a stone platform, the reverse waterfalls roaring around him. His eyes then started to twitch and he slowly opened his eyes, revealing them to have an aquamarine color. "Where...am I?" he whispered, pushing himself off the ground.

His eyes widened as if realization hit him.

"SORA!" he yelled, "KAIRI!"

He looked around him, only to find that he was alone. His eyes averted to the ground, a wave of disappointment and misery washing over him.

Little did he notice that a woman in black robes was watching him.

"How intriguing...he may be of use to us."

* * *

_**Alrighty, I'm going to end it here because even though I wanted to add more, I didn't want to keep you waiting for too long. For any of you who read my original fanfic Lost in the Dark, you could guess what happens after this.**_

_**Please favorite, follow, and/or review, especially review! I need some feedback so I can really make this story better. At least one or two reviews per chapter are most appreciated.**_

_**Until next time! Bye bye for now! :)**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thank you Songbird Rebel and blissfulnightrain for following and reviewing, Songbird Rebel again for favoring, and princesslolitatheorca654 for reviewing! Really apprecitate it! :)**_

_**Here's chapter 2! Enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I only own my OC Kaida. Kingdom Hearts belongs to Square Enix.**_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Stepping out of the dark corridor, Kaida, along with Iago flying close to her, found herself in a different location: the Grand Hall of the castle at Hollow Bastion, her new home.

The large hall was filled with blue light from the bowls of blue fire on the walls. There was an elevated platform at the end of the hall with a multi-colored Heartless insignia above it. Glancing to her left and right, she looked at 6 human-sized capsules emitting an eerie blue glow. Two of them were occupied by two young women who appeared to be asleep and held in place by black tendrils wrapped around their bodies. One had long curly blond hair wearing a blue dress and a gold crown on her head; the other had brown hair styled into a ponytail with a small bun at the crown of her head and wore an elegant yellow ruffled ball gown and matching gloves.

Princess Aurora and Belle.

The ravenette took Cinderella to one of the empty pods and placed her inside, black tendrils instantly encasing the woman's body, holding her securely in place.

"Three down, and four more to go," she muttered. "Come on Iago. Let's report in."

"Okey dokey," Iago said, following Kaida down the hallway.

Kaida stopped after about a few stapes and turned around with a death glare. "Don't think you're off the hook, birdbrain. Consider yourself lucky I didn't roast you."

Iago recoiled fearfully. "I said I was sorry! Honest!"

Kaida let out an exasperated sigh as she continued walking. If it hadn't been for Iago's big beak, she would've gotten Cinderella no problem. But no thanks to her mother, she couldn't go anywhere by herself without having someone keep an eye on her. The hazel-eyed teenage girl had been let out on solo missions before, but only rarely; and whenever she had to "partner up" with someone, he/she would either get in the way or just annoy the life out of her.

_I've trained in combat and sorcery for ten years and she still doesn't think I can't handle things on my own?_ _The least she could do is pair me up with someone that doesn't have a brain the size of a raisin!_ she thought angrily.

Then her mind wandered to the couple she saw while she was watching Cinderella and the Prince dancing. The thought of seeing the bluenette and brunette brought a strange feeling in her heart. It felt…warm, and oddly nostalgic. Who were they? Why did thinking about them make her feel this way?

She glanced around as she arrived at the Lift Shop, catching a glimpse of the horizon of her present home, Hollow Bastion. The sky was cloudy and the sound of rushing water came from beneath the levitating piece of stone where the castle stood. Out in the barren lands, the hazel-eyed girl could make out a distant town, making her wonder about the people that once lived here. She never got the chance to explore it herself due to her training and her missions.

Aside from the change in landscape and the machinery around the castle, this world wasn't too different from her old home. It was almost the same to her: dark, mysterious, and gloomy.

After taking a few elevator lifts and walking down a few more hallways, she soon arrived at the Castle Chapel. Before she entered, Kaida heard voices talking from the other side of the wall concealing the hidden passage leading to the Grand Hall.

"That little squirt took down that heartless! Who'd of thought it?"

"Such is the power of the keyblade. The child's strength is not his own."

"Keyblade?" she whispered. Kaida looked to Iago, who had perched on her shoulder, and the red parrot only shrugged.

"Why don't we turn him into a heartless? Ha Ha! That'll settle things quick enough!"

"And the brat's friends are the King's lackeys. Swoggle me eyes, they're all bilge rats from the look of them."

"You're no prize yourself! HA HA HA!"

"Shut up!"

"ENOUGH!" That last voice nearly made Kaida and Iago jump. Of course she'd know that cold and malevolent voice anywhere. "The keyblade has chosen him. Will it be he who conquers the darkness, or will the darkness swallow him? Either way he could be quite useful."

Kaida took this as her cue to come in. Extending out her arm, a bright light flashed and was holding a key-like sword in her hand.

The red hand guard was the shape of a diamond, the body was a katana blade with a red dragon wrapped around it, and the teeth composed of two miniature daggers forming an X on the end. Hanging from the hilt was a throwing star with a heart shaped hole in the center.

Warrior's Spirit.

Pointing her weapon at the wall, she concentrated her power into the keyblade and a dark ray of light shot out of the tip and hit the wall, making it glow before vanishing into thin air. Stepping out, Kaida was greeted by the presence of five bizarre beings gathered around a table.

The first was a bluish grey man with sharp teeth and blue flames for hair. He wore a dark grey toga with smoke surrounding the hem. The second was an old skinny Arabian man with a black goatee and tanned skin holding a gold staff topped with a cobra's head; he had on a red and black robe and a matching turban with a red gem adorning it. The third was a fat lilac-skinned woman with eight maroon tentacles for legs, white hair, and a seashell necklace around her neck. The fourth was a pirate captain with a small black moustache and curly black hair wearing a fancy red suit and matching hat adorned with a large white feather; where his left hand used to be was a glistening metal hook. Last but not least, there was a large sack-like creature with eyes and a mouth that looked like they were cut out and stubby hands.

"Ah, Kaida, you've returned."

Said ravenette turned her attention to a woman in black robes with purple accents and respectfully bowed to her.

"Maleficent."

The woman had pale green skin, piercing yellow eyes, long red fingernails that resembled claws, and two black horns on her head. She held a long staff tipped with a green orb and a raven perched on her shoulder.

"I trust that your mission was a success?" she asked.

"You bet! There were no problems whatsoever!" Iago exclaimed as he flew over to the Arabian man's side.

"Yeah, no problem at all," Kaida said sarcastically, sending Iago a sideways glare.

"Is that so?" the Arabian man asked, cocking his eyebrow at the flinching parrot, "what exactly happened on your mission?"

Iago chuckled nervously. "W-well, uh, ya see…I…uh…to tell you the truth…"

Kaida rolled her eyes. "Long story short, Iago almost cost us the mission. Seriously Jafar, how is it that you haven't put that blabber beak out of his misery yet?"

The visor groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "That thought has been rather tempting at times, but Iago does have his usefulness despite his…flaws."

"Anyway, what's this I'm hearing about the keyblade?" Kaida asked.

Maleficent and Kaida turned their attention toward a projection on the table showing a young boy with spiky chestnut hair walking with an anamorphic duck and a goofy-looking dog. "It would seem that the keyblade had chosen this boy after his world had been swallowed by the Heartless."

"That's him? He doesn't look like much," Kaida scoffed, "must be some sort of fluke if you ask me."

"Do you think that kid and his pals will give us any trouble?" the sack creature inquired.

"Perhaps…but we shouldn't trouble ourselves with him just yet Oogie. He will be dealt with in due time."

"And what about our guest?" the half octopus woman asked.

"Aye, do you really think he may be of use to us?" the pirate captain asked.

Before she could ask who Ursula and Hook were referring to, Maleficent replied, "As long as he believes we will help him find his friends, he will be willing to aid us in our plans."

"Now Kaida, you may go and retire to your chambers for the night. Your questions regarding our new arrival will be answered tomorrow," she said to the ravenette, her expression then becoming stern, "but remember, you are to never leave the premises of the castle till your next mission. Is that understood?"

Kaida gave an apprehensive look and bowed her head. "I understand…mother."

Maleficent smiled and waved her hand as if to shoo the girl. "Off with you then," she ordered.

Once Kaida had left the chapel, Hades said, "I've got to hand it to you Maleficent that little raven never ceases to amaze me."

"Indeed, Kaida has shown great progress," Jafar stated, "I can sense the darkness in her heart growing even more."

Ursula then inquired, "But are you sure she won't find out the truth? Letting her out on these missions is risky."

"Fear not," Maleficent replied calmly, "with my training and magic, her loyalty lies with me and she will never learn of her…true history."

* * *

_**Hope you guys like this chapter so far. Up next is when Kaida and Riku first meet and it's going to be different than when I wrote it in "Lost in the Dark".**_

_**Please favorite, follow, and/or review! Remember, at least two reviews for each new chapter if you want the story to continue. :)**_

_**I'll try and update as soon as I can with whatever spare time I've got from school and whatnot. **_

_**Oh! And don't forget to check out my two other fanfics and vote on the poll as well!**_

_**Later taters! :D**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Two warriors faced each other, one a young woman with short blue hair and the other a young man with brown hair. Both wielded keyblades and stared at each other with an emotionless yet determined look. They got into fighting positions and after a few seconds, they ran straight toward each other and attacked. Sparks flew as their metal weapons clashed. Neither combatant backed down as they continued their violent dance. _

_As they continued attacking and evading, two teenagers materialized alongside them, copying the adults' movements. A girl with raven hair tied in a ponytail appeared next to the bluenette and a boy with shoulder-length silver hair appeared next to the brunette. The adolescents kept coming at each other in a flurry strikes and slashes as the older fighters faded away. _

_Both teens leapt away from each other to gain distance and their eyes locked as they returned to fighting position. The silvernette grinned evilly as darkness consumed him and a man with long silver hair wearing a black and white trench coat took his place. He crossed his arms over his chest triumphantly as a heartless sprung out from behind him and it knocked her to the ground with a swing of its demonic hand. _

_Kaida glared at him with pure hatred in her eyes as a small trail of blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. _

"_Pathetic," he leered. His heartless raised its claw over its head and slashed at her with a mighty roar._

* * *

"AH!" Kaida bolted upright in her bed as she woke up gasping and sweating, the events of the dream replaying inside her head. Looking around, she saw she was in her room.

She placed a hand on her forehead as she slowed her breathing. "What was that?"

**BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!**

"OPEN UP!"

**BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!**

Kaida groaned as she stepped off her bed and went to answer the door. She opened it to reveal a large chubby black cat wearing a blue and red suit with a scowl on his face.

"Humph! About time you's awake!"

"I was already up thank you very much," she deadpanned, "what do you want?"

"Maleficent wants to see ya in the throne room, so you better git if you don't want to keep her waitin' on ya!"

Kaida nodded. "I'll be there." Just as she was about to close the door, she growled, "Next time you give me a wakeup call, don't try to break down my door, Captain Clutz, or else it won't be the only thing broken."

Pete stared at her indignantly. "Ha! I ain't afraid of you! And it's Captain Pete to you missy!" he huffed before storming off.

Just before closing the door, Kaida waved her hand. "_Spinis, surgere,_" she muttered. A bright red wisp escaped her fingertips and she quickly closed the door. Upon hearing a thunderous thud followed by a painful howl, Kaida smirked mischievously.

After putting on her jacket, boots, and gloves, Kaida took a quick look in the mirror as she tied her hair up. But while doing so, her reflection changed to the woman with short hair. She looked away for a moment and blinked before looking again, only to see her own reflection again.

"That's weird…" What's been going on with her lately?

* * *

"I'm tellin' ya Maleficent, that girl's nothin' but a heap of trouble! Why if it weren't for that fact that she's a-"  
A creaking sound followed by a heavy clank interrupted Pete's rant as he and the evil fairy looked to the doors of the throne room. "Humph! Well speak of the devil…"

As Kaida approached the throne, she internally chuckled when she noticed the fat cat's face full of thorns. Pete glared at her, but she remained unfazed while maintaining her solemn demeanor. "You summoned me mother?"

Maleficent nodded. "I require your assistance regarding our new arrival. I have already sent him to Wonderland to retrieve the next Princess of Heart."

"But, isn't it my job to retrieve the princesses?" Kaida asked.

"Indeed it is. However, this boy will be of great use in achieving our goal, in more ways than one."

"So what are you asking me to do?"

"Go to Wonderland. Make sure that he succeeds on his mission. Should he run into any trouble, assist him in any way you can. You will know who he is once you find him."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was bad enough that she's always paired up with snobby, annoying, meddling partners on her missions, but now she's tasked with babysitting this new recruit!

Nevertheless, she knew better than to cross her mother. "Yes, mother," she said, bowing to her before leaving the throne room.

* * *

Stepping out of the corridor of darkness, Kaida walked through a dense forest filled with strange looking trees.

"Alrighty, if I'm going to find the new guy, I'm gonna have to find the princess first," she said to herself. As she walked through the woods, she came upon a sign nailed to one of the trees.

"'Tulgey Wood,'" she read, "Interesting name…"

As she wandered aimlessly through the confusing woods, she couldn't help but noticed the strange fauna that inhabited them. There were creatures that looked like walking glasses, birds with cages for a body, even owls with accordion necks.

"This place gets weirder by the minute," she mumbled.

Banging sounds reached her ears and Kaida noticed four birds working on a sign. Two of them were using their hammer heads to nail the wood onto the tree and then the other two used their pencil beaks to write on it along with the other signs near it.

"Don't, step, on, the momeraths," she said, reading the signs as the birds wrote. "Momeraths?"

A cluster of colorful puffballs suddenly sprouted eyes and legs at her feet and scattered all around until they gathered into a shape of an arrow pointing to another path. If that's where she has to go, might as well take it.

As Kaida trudged along the path, her mind drifted to the dream from last night. She knew she never seen those people before: the two keybalde wielders, the boy with silver hair, and the man manipulating the Heartless. But for some strange reason, she felt that familiar vibe again with not just the two warriors, but also with the man who overtook the boy.

She shook her head. _What the heck is going on?_

Kaida stopped in her tracks when she heard light scraping up ahead. Coming her way was a dog with a broom for a head and another for a tail, and it was sweeping away the path! When it reached her, it simply walked around and continued erasing the rest of the path.

"Great! Just great," she groaned, "Now which way do I go?" There was nothing but dense forest all around her.

"_'Twas Brillig and the slithy toves, Did gyre and gimble in the wabe_," a peculiar voice sang.

Kaida summoned Warrior's Spirit and raised it in defense as she scanned the area. "Who's there?!"

"_All mimsy were the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe_." A pair of round yellow eyes appeared in one of the trees, followed by a sly toothy grin and finally a purple and pink striped feline body.

"You're a cat?" Kaida arched a bewildered brow as she lowered her weapon, though her guard was still up.

The cat lifted its ears up with his tail as if it were a hat. "A Cheshire Cat. And who may you be? Another lost soul perhaps?"

"I'm not lost," she said, "and what do you mean by another lost soul?"

"Why say you are not lost when you don't even know where to go?" he said cryptically, "And there are many souls who are lost. Though some are lost in more ways than one. Now, I believe I heard you were looking for someone you call a 'Princess of Heart', per say?" Kaida looked at him in alarm. The Cheshire Cat chuckled, "You aren't the only one looking for her."

_He must be talking about the recruit Maleficent sent earlier,_ she thought.

"Funny how Alice is a Princess of Heart while there is already a Queen. After all, all ways here are the QUEEN'S WAYS!" he bellowed in a deep voice while shaping his ears into a crown.

"Where can I find her?" Kaida asked, dispelling her keyblade.

The Cheshire Cat stood on his hind legs and pointed left as he jogged in place. "Some go this way." He changed direction and pointed right. "Some go that way." He stopped and leaned one hand against the tree stump. "But as for me, personally, I prefer the shortcut."

The cryptic feline pulled down one of the branches to reveal a hidden passage in the tree before vanishing into thin air. Reluctantly, the ravenette stepped through and found herself in a vast garden maze. The green, leafy walls extended into multiple directions, creating numerous passageways as the smell of roses filled the air.

"OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!" a voice screamed, almost loud enough to shake the entire garden. The sounds of battle filled the air and Kaida wasted no time to follow them to the source. Though it wasn't easy navigating through the green, floral labyrinth.

After turning the next corner, she spotted two people running down another path away from the hullabaloo. She didn't get a good look at them, but she could sense a strong light coming from one of them. "The princess…" She picked up the pace and quickly went after them.

Many crazy turns later, Kaida made it out of the garden maze and back in the woods. Though in this part of the woods, the flora were larger and taller than the ravenette. "Now where'd they go?" she grumbled.

A high-pitched scream rung through the trees. Kaida ran with keyblade in her gloved hand towards the noise until she found a clearing where a battle was taking place. A group of wild Sergeant and Soldier Heartless were surrounding a young girl with blonde hair pulled back by a black headband and wearing a baby blue dress with a white apron.

_That must be her,_ the raven-haired wielder thought, sensing a strong light coming from her. But her hazel eyes grew wide in shock when she saw person standing protectively in front of the princess.

A boy with silver hair just above his shoulders remained focused on the Heartless as he kept them from getting closer. He wore a tight sleeveless yellow shirt that was black on the back with overlapping black straps on his chest, indigo pants, yellow and white sneakers, and black gloves on his hands. In his grasp was a mahogany and indigo blade in the shape of a bat's wing and a teal demonic eye near the base of the hilt.

"No way…" There was no doubt in her mind that it was him, the boy from her dream last night.

As he continued to fend off dark creatures, he didn't notice Alice sneaking away when she saw an opening. When he did, he tried to go after her, but the Heartless had him completely surrounded.

"Oh no you don't," Kaida growled under her breath. She chased after the princess.

"Fire!" A wall of flames blocked off Alice's escape. The young blonde gasped as she stopped running and spun around to face the ravenette approaching her. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Halt!" The sound of drawn metal from behind made Kaida glance behind her. A troop of card soldiers standing a few feet away were pointing their lances at her back. "You and the defendant are under arrest!" a red soldier bearing an ace of hearts commanded.

Kaida quirked an eyebrow. "Really?" she asked, her back still facing the soldiers, "whatever for?"

"That girl is guilty of assault and attempted theft of her majesty's heart. As for you, you will be taken in as her accomplice," a black card with a four of spades said.

Unbeknownst to them, a presence remained hidden in the tall grass as he watched the scene unfold.

The ravenette chuckled dryly. "Is that so?" She turned to face them. "Then tell your queen she won't have to worry about this girl anymore." And with a snap of her fingers, a dark hole appeared under Alice's feet and the blonde princess screamed as she fell in.

The soldiers jumped back in shock before one of them demanded, "What did you do?!"

"Nothing really," she replied nonchalantly, then smirked, "I simply sent her somewhere you'll never find her."

The soldiers didn't waste a second as they all surrounded the ravenette, their lances up and pointed at her. Her eyes wandered from one card to the next in what appeared to be fear and her head sank to her shoulders.

_What is she doing? _the boy wondered, perplexed by her actions as he watched.

The soldiers lowered their weapons, thinking that the girl is giving herself up. A low, eerie chuckle escaped her lips, catching them off guard as they gripped their lances tight once more. "Oh, what's a poor girl to do?" she said in feign hurt. When she looked up, a collective horrified gasp came out when the soldiers jumped back in fear at what they saw.

Her once hazel eyes were now burning a bright gold color as she grinned maliciously at her supposed 'captors'. "If this is how you want to play," she hummed wickedly as she raised Warrior's Spirit, now laced with shadows, in front of her, "…let's play."

Though he was still terrified, a three of clovers made the first move and charged at the girl. Her eyes focused on the incoming assailant, she quickly sidestepped and fired a dark fireball at him the moment he was off balance. The soldier cried out painfully as the shot burned his back and he fell to the ground unconscious.

Three red cards came at her, but with one swipe of her blade, dark red waves of cut through the air and knocked them into a tree, which fell to the ground with a thud. A few of the remaining soldiers attacked the powerful female while those who stayed frozen in their place watched in horror as their comrades failed to take her down. As Kaida continued to counter each attacker with a deadly swipe of her keyblade or a blast of her magic, a dark aura glowed around her body and only seemed to grow stronger as she kept attacking.

It wasn't long until the ground littered with fallen cards. While some were covered in dirt, bruises, and burns, there were few with large gash marks on them, making them look literately torn to pieces. Kaida, still pulsating with darkness, grinned maliciously at her work.

"Now, unless you all wish to take another go at me, I suggest you all run," she threatened, "Otherwise…" Extending her hand to the side, she made a gesture as if raising something up and a black soldier with an ace of spades floated into the air above her. Her gold eyes glowed and dark tendrils circled around the injured soldier. The others watched in absolute horror as a dark black substance creeped up the soldier's body, consuming it with every inch that it crawled.

Petrified, the soldiers used whatever strength they had left and fled, screaming and crying out in fear. Kaida's eyes returned to their normal hazel hue as the dark aura vanished and her victim was released from her spell, landing back on the ground before getting on his feet and dashing away.

Kaida exhaled deeply. "That took a lot out of me," she muttered, feeling her energy has been drained a bit. Eyeing the grass warily, she bluntly said, "You can come out now."

Shocked that she knew he was there, the silvernette slowly came out from his hiding spot and walked up to her. He was rather impressed and frightened by her power, how she utilized it to easily take down the soldiers. Where did it come from? How was she able to harness it?

"If you're done gaping like a fish at me," she said, snapping him out of his stupor, "let's head back."

"Back where?" he asked.

"To Hollow Bastion," she replied, as if were completely obvious.

"But what about-?"

"The princess is fine. I sent her there when those soldiers intervened." Her hand out in front of her, she summoned a dark corridor and glanced back at the silvernette. "You coming?"

He was hesitant at first, but then made his way to the portal. As Kaida kept her gaze on the silvernette, she could sense the darkness in his heart. Though there was a small amount, there was something about it that seemed…different than any other dark hearts she had encountered. Pushing that thought aside, Kaida stepped in after him.

* * *

_**Sorry for the long wait! I know that it's been…GEEZ! A MONTH?! I AM SO SORRY! DX**_

_**I have been suffering from both cases of writer's block and excesshomeworkitis for the past month and I've been using whatever free time I had to work on this next chapter. **_

_**Hope you all liked it! :) (Please do!)**_

_**Don't forget to favorite, follow, and/or review! And if I don't update within the next two weeks, hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!**_

_**Later taters!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hey hey hey! Hope you all had a great holiday and a Happy New Year! :D**_

_**Sorry for not updating for awhile! I've been working on my other fanfic "Countdown to Christmas", which has received A LOT of reviews for the past month. Those of you who haven't read it yet, feel free to check it out! And to those of you who have read, followed, favored, and/or reviewed it already, THANK YOU SO MUCH! :D**_

_**Also, thanks to the Queen Micky, Songbird Rebel, and blissfulnightrain for reviewing; and sailorsenshi13, and sierra halle for following this fanfic.**_

_**And thank you Brittany Bauer for favoring Frozen Hearts, gamergirl for following and favoring FH, and keyblademaster avenger and Ayumira for following me as an author!**_

_**Now, without further ado, on with the story!**_

Chapter 4

* * *

Alice opened her eyes to find herself lying on the ground. Or at least what she assumed was solid ground.

"Where…am I?" She lifted her head up and pulled her blond hair out of her face. Nothing but pitch-black nothingness all around her. "…how in the world did I get here?"

Feeling a little less light-headed, Alice managed to get herself back on her feet. "Now, there must be a way out somewhere…" she muttered to herself.

The blonde little girl wandered around the darkness for what felt like hours, and she couldn't find a way out. No matter how far she walked, no matter whichever way she turned, there seemed to be no end to this dark void.

A whoosh from behind startled her and she whipped around to see a pulsating portal of some sort had appeared."Curious…" she gasped, perplexed by what was in front of her. As she inched closer to the portal, she suddenly felt a presence from behind, sending shivers running down her spine. Trembling, Alice dared to glance behind her and a yelp escaped her lips.

"Move it."

* * *

"You have returned," Maleficent said as the silver-haired youth came out of the dark corridor and into the chapel.

Hades then raised a brow in confusion. "Say, wasn't this a two-person mission?"

"What are you-?" The boy turned around to find the portal had vanished, but there was no sign of the girl with ebony locks. "Huh?! Where'd she go?!"

"Uh oh, looks like she's gone and vanished Maleficent," Oggie said frantically, "What are we gonna do?"

Maleficent closed his eyes as she clutched her staff in deep concentration. "Worry not. I can sense her presence in the castle." Maleficent then opened her eyes and shot a quizzical glance at Oogie. "Of course, why in the world would she ever disobey her mother?"

The recruit looked at the witch incredulously. "Wait. That girl that brought me here, she's your daughter?"

Maleficent nodded. "Indeed she is."

* * *

Kaida took a step back and looked at the slumbering Alice, who was now in a containment unit next to Cinderella. "And that's number four," she mumbled, "three more to go." And with that, she made her way to the Castle Chapel to report in.

As she strolled through the halls and rode the lifts, Kaida thought about the new recruit. Where did Maleficent find the guy? What does she plan to do with him?

_I don't really see what's so special about him_, she thought, _As far as I'm concerned he's just gonna be baggage for us, possibly for me, to carry around…_

Still, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't intrigued by the silver-haired boy. Not only because of the unique aura of darkness in his heart, but also his possible connection to her dream the previous night. First the two adults at the Castle of Dreams, and now him. How does it all add up? And what about the last man, the one with the Guardian Heartless? Where and when would he come in?

"And our deal?"

Kaida stopped at the wall concealing the way to the chapel at the sound of the recruit's voice.

"Fear not Riku," she heard Maleficent say, "our agreement still stands, as long as you are willing to hold your end of the bargain."

_At least now I know what his name is_, Kaida thought as she listened to the conversation, _wonder what mother's promised the poor sucker_. She knew that Maleficent would always promise something in return to anyone that the witch deemed useful.

"Yeah, don't stress yourself kid. Don't worry, we'll be sure to look for 'em," Hades' voice said.

"I understand."

"That will be all," Maleficent declared, "You are all dismissed."

A series of footsteps followed by that clanking of a shutting door reached her ears. And before she could summon her blade, the wall instantly vanished.

"You had me worried Kaida," Maleficent said, "I was beginning to think something happened to you when you didn't return with Riku."

Kaida stood before the witch and bowed her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, mother. I had to make sure the princess was secure."

"And I take it you didn't let him know?"

The youth rolled her hazel eyes. "He almost let the princess escape. Like I'd give him the chance to make that same mistake again."

"Prideful as ever my dear," the evil fairy hummed, "So what do you make of Riku?"

"Granted the darkness in his heart is unlike any I've ever encountered, but," Kaida shook her head, "He ain't gonna cut it. The darkness's minuscule and he almost cost us one princess."

"Do not be quick to judge yet my dear," Maleficent said, her back now facing the girl, "After all, one never knows the secrets to another's heart. He will learn to embrace the darkness in due time."

"If you want him to embrace the darkness that badly, I'll be more than happy to speed up the process for you." To emphasize her point, Kaida summoned a dark flame in her hand.

"That will not be necessary, Kaida." Said girl extinguished the flame, a questionable look etched on her face. "I have to keep up appearances. Besides, I have something else in mind for that boy, so we must be patient."

"You don't say?" Kaida bluntly asked. "So what exactly have you promised this Riku for his services?"

"When his world was lost to the darkness, he has been separated from his two dearest friends. So, in exchange for aiding us obtain the seven lights, we will be searching for these friends if his."

"But how do we know if his 'friends' are even alive? Chances of people surviving a fallen world is almost close to impossible. Only a small handful could've made it, and we don't know for sure if who he's looking for are part of it."

"Nevertheless, we will be sure to keep an eye out for them. All I ask is for you to make sure that Riku does not deviate from our agreement. Is that understood?"

With much reluctance, Kaida bowed her head. "Yes, mother." Once she was dismissed, the ebony-haired youth left the chapel, closing the doors behind her.

After taking just a few steps, a voice behind her asked, "Close to impossible huh?"

Kaida turned her head to see none other than Riku leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, an unreadable expression on his face. "Kaida, right?"

She placed a hand on her hip. "Well, someone's being sneaky. Ever heard of eavesdropping Silverlocks?"

"I do have a name you know," he said, pushing himself off the wall and taking a few steps towards her.

"Do I look like I really care?" she asked rhetorically, "And yeah, I'm Kaida. Just cause you're working for my mother, don't think you're anything special, Silverlocks."

"Anyway," he said, annoyance evident in his tone of voice, "what happened to you earlier?"

"Like that's any or your business," she replied irritably, "And you're just wasting your time and ours if you honestly think that these friends of yours made it off your home world."

"Excuse me, but I survived didn't I?"

Kaida scoffed. "You just got lucky, that's all. But that won't mean the same happened to them. Like I said, chances of people making it out of a world plunged into darkness are pretty slim."

"You can say what you want, but I will find them no matter what. And I'm not gonna let some pessimistic princess tell me otherwise!" He retorted.

Kaida narrowed her eyes. "What did you just call me?"

"You heard me," Riku snapped back.

Both teens shot icy glares at each other, neither one backing down even the slightest.

_He's got backbone, I'll give him that_. The hazel-eyed youth was the first to break their little staring contest and smirked, which confused the silver-haired youth. "Fine. Go ahead and believe what you want." Her smirk changed back to a deadly glare. "But let me tell you something."

She grabbed the front of his shirt and brought his face dangerously close to hers. "I don't care about this deal my mother had agreed to and I couldn't care less about why she thinks you're so special. Unless you want me to do exactly what I almost did to that ace in Wonderland, stay out of my way and you better not to screw up on my account," she threatened under her breath, "Got it?"

Instead of cowering in fear like she had expected, Riku remained nonchalant as he simply replied, "Got it."

Kaida gave him a slight shove as she released her grip and then walked away. _Either that guy's braver than I thought or he just doesn't know what he's dealing with_, she mentally muttered.

Riku could only watch Kaida's retreating figure with a mix of shock and curiosity as he straightened out the front of his shirt. Never had he ever encountered someone, much less a female, with that much ferocity.

_She's definitely something to watch out for_, he said before walking down the hall in the opposite direction.

* * *

Later that night, as he sat down on his bed, his mind ran through all that's happened ever since he was given a place to stay at the castle. First, he made a deal with a witch to help abduct certain people for who knows what so that she can help him find his friends. Now, he also has to deal with the witch's temperamental daughter who could probably kill him without breaking a sweat.

He thought back on what she had said about the impossibility that Sora and Kairi made it off the island. What if she's right? She said so herself that very few people would be able to survive a world plunged into darkness.

Riku shook these thoughts out of his head. "She's wrong," he said aloud, "I know they're out there. I'll find them."

He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a star-shaped charm. It was made out violet stained glass with three spikes at the end of each corner of the star and a heart-like emblem in the center.

"Maybe now I can find out who this belongs to," he pondered as he stared at the trinket in his hand.

* * *

_A five-year-old Riku and a four-year old boy with spiky chestnut hair were lying in the sand on the beach staring at the starry night sky when the silver haired boy sat up and said, "Hey, I'm gonna head back."_

_The brunet boy quickly sat up too, following his friend's actions. "Yeah. Me too."_

_The two boys stood up and started heading back towards the main town when Riku took a glance at his friend and a concerned expression appeared in his face. "Sora, what's wrong?"_

_"Huh?" The brunet boy just stared at him in confusion._

_"You're…" the silver-haired boy began, pointing at his friend's face._

_Sora touched the side of his face and felt a single tear had fallen down his cheek. "That's weird," he mumbled to himself, "It's like something's squeezing me inside."_

_"Somebody up there must be sad."_

_"Up where?" Sora asked confusedly._

_Both boys glanced up at the sky as Riku said, "They say every world is connected by one great big sky. So maybe there's somebody up there in all those worlds who's really hurting, and they're waiting for you to help them."_

_"Well gee, do you think there's something I could do?"_

_Riku crossed his arms and thought for a second before responding, "Maybe they just need you to open your heart and listen."_

_Sora crossed his arms behind his head. "Hmm…I dunno, Riku. You say some weird stuff sometimes, but I'll try it," he said excitedly._

_"Okay."_

_Nodding his head once, Sora turned back to the sky and closed his eyes. Riku looked at his friend for a few moments before he noticed something shining in the water._

"_What's that?" Curiosity getting the better of him, he ran back to the shoreline and saw a violet star charm wash up on the sand. Riku then picked it up just before the tide could carry it back out to sea. "This kinda looks like a Thalessa Charm…" _

_Looking back at Sora, who still had his eyes closed, Riku put the keepsake in his pocket before returning to the brunet's side. By the time Riku made it, Sora had opened his eyes and a big smile was on his face._

_"Well?" the silver-haired youth asked._

_The brunet turned to Riku and said, crossing his arms behind his head, "Ya know… I think it worked."_

_Riku smiled as he and Sora looked up at the stars._

_Ten years later..._

_As Riku finished packing his clothes in a small duffel bag, he looked back on his desk at the purple charm resting on the shelf. _

_Ever since he found it, no one on the island had claimed the trinket. Not even Kairi. He thought that it could've been hers since she came to the islands from another world, but the red-head had told him she would've remembered to have possessed something like it, even if she lost her memories._

_Which now left one other possibility: the real owner was still out there, probably looking for this keepsake. His mind set on finding him/her, he grabbed the trinket and put it in his pocket, patting the compartment to make sure its contents was safe._

* * *

He let out a heavy sigh. With any luck, he'll be able to find the owner. Riku then pocketed the charm before laying down and falling asleep.

Just as sleep overcame him, soft, soothing music echoed throughout Hollow Bastion. But by then, Riku had already fallen asleep before he could catch a single note.

Up on highest tower of the castle, a lone figure was sitting on the roof, playing a slow, melodic tune on a small wooden flute as the moon and the stars shined in the starry night sky.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Kaida yawned as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. The only sounds echoing through the castle halls were her feet hitting the cobblestone floor. There wasn't much for her to do since the other villains have yet to arrive that morning and she hadn't been assigned a mission. All she could do was either train or roam around the empty castle.

She had the same dream again, and she still couldn't figure out what it meant. There could be some significance to the recurring reverie, or she could just be over thinking it and it was merely just a coincidence.

"Maybe some training will help clear my head," she muttered, shaking the thoughts out of her head, "I just hope I don't run into- oof!"

She turned the next corner and before she knew it, she bumped right into someone else. Kaida took an uneasy step back and her hazel eyes narrowed at the sight of the last person she'd wanted to see.

"Why don't you watch where you're going Silverlocks?" she snapped, giving him a far-from-gentle shove to the chest.

Riku's only response was an annoyed scowl as he stood his ground. After their little 'chat' yesterday, the last thing he wanted was to deal with her.

He stepped to the side to go around her, but Kaida stepped in his path, not intentionally of course. Both teens looked at each other in annoyance as they tried again to move around each other, but they still remained at a standstill, becoming more frustrated by the second.

Seeing that neither was going anywhere, Riku did something the young female didn't expect him to do: he put a hand on her shoulder and pushed Kaida to the side with his arm before walking down the hall.

"What the heck did you do that for?!" she asked, stunned with shock.

"It was either that or we spend the rest of the day stuck in the middle of the hall," he explained without looking back at her, "And besides, you were in my way."

Taken aback by his disrespect, Kaida raised her hand towards Riku's retreating figure, thinking of the worse possible spell to cast on him. Red sparks came out of her fingertips as she muttered a spell under her breath. "Sed proru -"

"Well," a voice jeered, cutting off her spell, "looks like Pretty Boy ruffled your feathers there, Raven."

Kaida whipped around as the red glow vanished and saw Hades with his arms folded in front of his chest and an amused smirk on his lips. She turned back around to find that Riku was already gone, much to her chagrin.

"Something you want, Hades?" she asked, scowling at the dark deity for messing up her chance at retribution.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Yes there is! See, your dear mother has paired you up with me today for a recon mission, and this is a wonderful opportunity for you to help me with a little…situation."

The ebony haired girl rolled her eyes. "Ugh! Let me guess. It involves _him_, correct?"

His malicious grin was the only answer she needed.

* * *

In a densely populated Grecian town, a tall, lean man with pale skin and spiky blond hair was walking through the streets. He wore a tattered red cloak with dark blue pants and shirt, brown boots, and gloves, the left of which has golden trimmings, almost like a claw. A demonic black wing protruded from his left shoulder, almost trailing behind him.

Suddenly from the corner of his peripheral vision, he spotted someone disappear around the corner and quickly went after it. When he made it to the bend, there was a large crowd of Grecian citizens roaming the street. Then out in the distance, he could make out a woman with long curled chestnut hair tied together with a pink bow, wearing a pink dress and her back facing him.

He called out to her as he pushed through the crowd, but the brunette only glanced behind her before she ran off.

The blond ran in hot pursuit after through the town, and every time he was close to catching up to her, she'd disappear for a moment before he saw her again and the chase would continue. It wasn't until he chased her into an abandoned alley that he lost sight of her. He could've sworn that he saw her running through there, but there was no trace of anyone else besides him being there.

He called out her name several times, but the only answer he received was absolute silence. "Guess I was just seeing things…" he mused disappointedly.

When he turned to leave, he was shocked to see the brunette standing right in front of him. But, something didn't seem right.

The blond slowly approached her, but the next thing he knew, a fist punched him in the jaw, the woman yanked on his arm and delivered a kick to his chest, sending him flying into the wall.

Pain still searing through his body, he got up on his hands and looked at the woman in front of him, stunned in absolute shock. "Aerith? Why did you-?"

A sinister laugh escaped the brunette's lips as red wisps engulfed her and she transformed into a younger girl with a long black ponytail. "Cloud Strife, I presume?"

Cloud quickly shook his shock aside and stood up into a defensive stance. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"I'm not here to fight," she said, shaking her head in slight amusement, "I'm here on behalf of Hades, god of the Underworld. He needs a certain hero by the name of Hercules to be…taken care of…and surprisingly he believes that you're the one who can do it."

"So he sent a little girl to tell me all this?" Cloud asked dubiously. "If this is some kind of joke-"

"Trust me," she cut him off, pretending that she didn't hear his insult, "When it comes to Hercules, Hades doesn't joke around."

"…What if I refuse?"

"I can be very persuasive," she chuckled darkly, her eyes slowly changing color and a dark aura surrounding her.

Cloud unsheathed his gigantic sword and held it defensively when suddenly a voice cried out, "Whoa whoa whoa!" It was then that Hades appeared in a puff of black smoke and stood between the two. "Save it for the Games, why don't cha?" The blue-skinned god then looked at Kaida dully. "Thanks for finding him for me Raven, but I think I'll take it from here."

The raven-haired youth growled as her eyes returned to normal and the dark aura vanished, "I had things under control Hades."

"Yeah yeah, I'm sure you did," he dismissed. As much as she wanted to strangle the god at that moment, Kaida restrained herself.

"So anyway," Hades began, his attention on Cloud, "Here's the deal. If you take out Hercules in the Games at the Coliseum, I can make it worth your while."

"What's in it for me?"

Hades was about to tell him when Kaida spoke instead, "We'll help you find that girl you've been searching for. What'd you say her name was? Aerith?" She smirked triumphantly when Cloud glared icy daggers at her. "If you do what he says, then I can personally take you to her." She shrugged nonchalantly. "Or vice versa. Whatever suits you."

Hades scolded at Kaida for interrupting before looking back at the blond with a charismatic grin. "So what do you say?"

Cloud glanced between Hades and Kaida for a few moments before he answered, "…I'll do it."

"Done!" Hades said, holding out his hand for a shake, but Cloud didn't take it. The god withdrew his hand dejectedly and snapped his fingers. "Kaida, give him the pass and meet me at the Coliseum later when you're done. Got to make sure everything's ready for the show." Giving a somewhat subtle wink her way, he vanished in a puff of smoke.

Kaida rolled her eyes and walked up to Cloud, giving him a white and gold ticket. "You're gonna need this to get into the tournament. Make sure you do your job or there will be consequences, Cloud Strife," she told him with a hint of a threat, "And I don't mean just for you." And with that, the ebony-haired girl walked out of the alley and disappeared into the dense Grecian crowd before Cloud could stop her.

_Guess I've got another job to do,_ he thought, glancing at the ticket in his hand. As he fingered the small parchment, a sliver of black came out from behind the ticket. Separating the two contents apart, his breath hitched in his throat as he pulled out the item.

A single black feather.

* * *

After restocking on Potions and Elixirs at one of the shops, Kaida made her way up to the Coliseum. As she traipsed along, she took in every sight, touch, sound, and smell of the Grecian city. She was usually cooped up in the Underworld whenever she was paired with Hades, so the change in scenery was a nice break from the gloomy atmosphere of the Land of the Dead.

Of course the downside was having to put up with his nonstop ranting about taking down Hercules, and the worst part was despite the billion times he failed in doing so, the god doesn't know when to give up. But despite being extremely annoyed with Hades' god-crazy obsession, Kaida didn't want to jeopardize whatever freedom she already had.

At least she doesn't have to deal with Riku for the day. Their little run-in back in Hollow Bastion was still fresh in her memory. After giving him a fair warning yesterday, the girl figured that he'd be quivering with fear at her presence. But his act of disrespect towards her proved otherwise. It seemed like it's going to take more than words to scare him off.

Upon arriving at the Coliseum, Kaida wasn't sure if she was in the right place at first. The grand architecture made it look more like a palace rather than a place of combat. Torches were set up as well as a few banners and two giant gold statues of gladiators with their swords drawn and crossing each other stood on either side of the doors leading inside.

As she was marveling the architecture, Hades popped up in a puff of black smoke beside her. "Alright, all the pieces are in place. Now all that's left to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! Hercules will be out of my hair for good!"

Kaida rolled her eyes, not sharing the god's enthusiasm. "Good for you. But why bother hiring a mercenary? I could've easily done the job myself with one hand behind my back!"

"Now, who needs to know the details, huh?" Hades simply shrugged. "But hey, if Cloud can't kill him, you can do the honors if it makes you happy."

Before she could open her mouth to speak any further, they heard the Coliseum doors open and saw the spiky-haired keyblade wielder and his two animalistic companions walk out in frustration, mostly from the boy and the duck. Kaida quickly hid behind the bulletin board as the trio made it to the center of the courtyard, but Hades remained where he was.

"I don't believe it!" the duck cried out, "How can he say that we're not heroes?"

The spiky brunet nodded in agreement. "I know! We fought a whole bunch of Heartless and he won't even let us compete!" he shouted, stomping his foot into the dirt.

"I guess it was kinda unfair…" the dog commented, looking calmer than the other two.

_So those three came here to compete in the Games,_ Kaida thought as she watched them, _Ha! I bet they wouldn't make it past the first round!_

"Hmm, rather a stubborn old goat, wouldn't you say?" Hades asked, getting the trio's attention.

_What is he doing?_ she wondered, watching the scene in front of her from her hiding spot.

The duck pointed a suspicious finger at Hades. "Who are you?"

"Whoa hold it there fuzz boy," Hades said casually, "Wait, let me guess. You want to enter the Games, right?" He went gripped the youth's shoulders from behind. "Well, then get a load of this." With a snap of the wrist, a pass appeared in his hand and gave it the boy.

"A pass?" the boy and Kaida said, both surprised by Hades' generosity. Fortunately for Kaida, no one had heard her.

"It's all yours," Hades assured the brunet and walked away, "Good luck, kid! I'm pulling for you, little shorty."

The trio then looked at the pass, not noticing Hades going behind the bulletin besides Kaida. "Gwarsh, do you think we can trust him?" the dog asked worryingly.

"I don't know…" the duck responded, crossing his wings and tapping his flipper.

"Who cares?! Let's go show that old goat and enter the Games!" the boy said excitedly and made a mad dash back into the Coliseum.

"SORA! WAIT FOR US!" the dog and duck shouted as they went after him.

"Sora?"Kaida snickered, "Isn't that a girl's name?" After her brief moment of amusement, she looked at Hades in disbelief and suspicion. "Why'd you give him that pass anyway? What's the change of plan this time?"

Hades smirked arrogantly. "He wanted to enter the games, so I'd thought I'd give him what he wants. Besides, with Cloud in the tournament, it'll be like killing two birds with one stone. You'll see. Hercules will be out of the picture and the keyblade's chosen won't be a problem in the long run. Pretty clever wouldn't you say?"

"…I guess you have a point there," she said, "but I seriously doubt the kid's gonna make it past the first round."

* * *

She could not have been more wrong.

From atop of the walls surrounding the arena, Kaida watched as Sora and his sidekicks fought their way through the tournament. He was stronger than she originally thought. Even when he had to go against the stronger breed Heartless like the Fat Bandits and the Nocturnes, Sora managed to defeat them. But despite this, she felt she could take him down a notch if she was competing.

As she watched the other competitors, Kaida focused on Cloud's matches as well. The blond did pretty well. Then again what did she expect from a paid mercenary?

After Cloud won his way into the semi finals, Kaida knew that the blond's next opponent would no doubt be Sora. Both were powerful, but if Cloud lost to the kid, then Hades' plans would go down the drain. Even though she was tired of the god's obsession in taking down the muscle-brawn hero, she didn't want to have to deal with another one of Hades' tantrums.

_Guess it's time to take matters into my own hands, _Kaida thought as she left her perch. _Hope the steakhouse isn't closed for the day._

* * *

Her steady footsteps echoed all around as she made her way down the shadowy caverns of the Underworld. Stalactites hung from the seemingly nonexistent ceiling, a light fog covered the ground beneath her feet, and a river of murky purple water flowed not too far away from her. The whispers of the mournful souls that inhabited the land sent shivers down her spine, but Kaida kept pressing onward.

When she arrived at the entrance with a small bag in her hand, a thunderous roar from shook the cavern and the quaking didn't cease as the tremors became more violent, as if a giant was running her way.

Then, a large shape emerged from the shadows and loomed over the teen. Bearing its sharp teeth and staring at her with yellow eyes was a humungous black demonic dog with three heads and a snake for a tail.

Kaida slowly walking towards the creature, not a trace of fear present on her face. The three heads lowered to Kaida's level and they kept their hold on each other's eyes and the dog's hot breath hit her face. After sniffing the girl, the heads then simultaneously licked her, showering the youth in dog slobber.

"Hey Cerberus," she chuckled, "How've you been boy?" Kaida petted the two on the ends and then scratched under the middle one's chin. He growled contently at her touch and then pulled away when he smelled the bag in her hand.

"Let me guess. Lord Loser forgot to feed you again?" A low rumble that sounded like a whimper hummed in his throats in confirmation. "Figures," Kaida sighed, yet still smiled at the humongous creature. She then opened the bag and pulled out a box that contained three medium rare steaks inside. Cerberus panted excitedly as he sat on his hind legs, waiting for the delicious meat to enter his mouth. "Here you go boy!" One by one, she tossed the steaks to each head and when he finished eating; Cerberus leaned back down and nudged her gratefully.

Kaida chuckled softly as she scratched behind his ears. "Now that you've had some lunch, what do you say I take you for an outing up in the surface world?"

When Cerberus barked a 'yes', Kaida climbed onto his back and summoned a gigantic dark corridor in front of them. "Better go through here, boy. Don't want to cause a scene…yet."

* * *

"The great god of the Underworld is afraid of a kid? Sorry but my contract says-"

"I know! You think I don't know? I wrote the contract!" Hades said, frustrated, "I know you're only suppose to kill Hercules in the tournament, but you've got to fight that kid to get to him!" When Cloud still didn't seem swayed, Hades added, "Come on! It's like that old goat says. Rule #11: It's all just a game, so let loose and have fun with it! I mean, a casualty or two along the way is no big deal, right?"

Cloud still was skeptical, but he gave a small nod and headed back into the arena.

"Geez. Stiffer than the stiffs back home," Hades muttered as he thought of a certain hot-headed female, "Still, suckers like him are hard to come by…"

A large breath of hot air hit him as he heard a low growl from behind. Turning around, Hades was mildly shocked at the sight of Kaida riding on the back of his pet Cerberus.

"Doesn't hurt to have a back up," Kaida said as if reading his thoughts. She dismounted the three-headed dog and prompted the canine to be quiet so he wouldn't attract any attention while hiding in the shadows.

"And what makes you think we need back up?" Hades asked, though he seemed to know the answer already.

"He suspects that there's something special about Sora since you told him to finish the kid off too. So at this point, it's either Sora wins and beats him or Cloud wins but lets the kid live."

* * *

And true to her word, Cloud managed to knock Sora and his animalistic sidekicks down and was now pointing his sword very close to the brunet's neck, ready to finish him off. Phil was about to call off the match, but Hades intervened. Kaida and Cerberus watched with anticipation as Cloud was about to deliver the final blow. But once the blond held his sword in the air, he stopped and brought it down to his side.

_I knew it…_Kaida then whispered, "Sick 'em."

Cerberus immediately stormed into the arena and slammed a paw down onto Cloud. Black smog billowed in his jaws as he growled menacingly, causing a panic in the bleachers as the spectators screamed and scrambled to get out of the bleachers.

Just as Cerberus was about to lunge down at the three remaining combatants in the arena, a muscular man with orange curly hair wearing a brown armored tunic, a blue cape, and brown sandals pushed him back, the canine's frontal black paws dangling in the air.

"HERC!" Phil cried at the sight of his pupil.

"Phil! Get them out of here!" Hercules yelled as he held Cerberus back. Everyone else quickly made their way out of the arena and soon it was just Hercules, Cerberus, and Cloud, who managed to get up once the dog's gigantic paw was off his back.

Hercules then heard something whiz through the air and when he spotted something from his peripheral vision, he shoved at Cerberus's chest and jumped back just as a sword-like key dug right into the spot where he was standing.

"I think you'd know better than to touch someone's pet without permission."

He looked up at the stands to see none other than Kaida looking down at him with a mischievous grin on her lightly tanned face. She quickly ran down the bleachers and flipped forward as she leapt into the arena, calling back Warrior's Spirit into her hand.

"Who are you?!" Hercules demanded.

"Oh don't mind me," said Kaida curtly, "I'm just a girl wants to have a bit of fun in the arena." She then glared at Cloud, who was now standing next to the Grecian hero. "That sorry excuse of a mercenary didn't have it in him to finish the job, so…" Her raven bangs and ponytail as she shook her head and sighed, "if you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself."

The ebony-haired warrior pointed her blade at Hercules and fired three shots of darkness. But Cloud quickly jumped in front of him and managed to block the attacks. The two of them exchanged a few words amongst themselves and Hercules went after Cerberus while Cloud stayed and faced Kaida.

"You're have to get through me first!" Cloud told her, holding his sword defensively.

Kaida only smirked. "Alright. I could use the warm-up."

Without wasting another second, they both shot forward and their weapons feverishly clashed. Both blades delivered one blow after another and neither combatant was backing down. Cloud took a leap back before Kaida could slice his abdomen and he leapt into the air with his large sword over his head. On instinct, the raven-haired girl got out of the way, but she was caught off guard as Cloud slammed his weapon to the ground. Kaida got caught in the shockwave and went flying into a pillar as a cloud of dust covered the arena.

Cloud kept his guard up as he searched through the dusty fog. His eyes then spotted a silhouette, feminine judging by the shape, on its hands and knees doubling over as if choking.

Seizing the opportunity, Cloud charged towards her, leaving a gust of air parting the dust cloud. But at the last minute, Kaida raised her keyblade and blocked the attack. Both fighters were at a standoff as their weapons locked, trying to push the other back. Kaida dug her heels into the ground as she struggled to stand up with the weight of Cloud's sword pushing her down.

Just as he thought he had gotten the upper hand, he was knocked back by a dark red wave and before he could counterattack, Kaida ducked down as another shape leapt over her and sent him flying into the wall before hitting the dirt.

Lifting his head up, he saw Kaida coming towards him. Only thing was, he was seeing double.

"That really all you got?" they taunted together, and then both beings meld into one. "I expected more of a challenge really." Kaida extended her palm and Cloud's body levitated into the air. "I suppose there's only one thing left to do now isn't there?" Black wisps circled around him and darkness covered his feet and worked its way up his limp figure.

When the inky black substance crept past his waist, Cloud went rigid as if he was suffocating. Kaida's grin grew wider the more her victim writhed in her grasp. "Oh don't worry," she stated in mock sympathy, "I'll be sure to say hello to Aerith for you."

The dark matter had just reached the base of his neck when suddenly a strong force slammed into her side and knocked her into the dirt. Her concentration broken, Cloud was released and Hercules managed to catch him before his body hit the ground.

"Ugh…" Kaida leaned against her arms as she shook the dizziness from her head. She turned her head to see Cerberus standing protectively over her as he backed Hercules, with Could slung over her shoulder, into the wall. Though the demonic canine still stood strong, Kaida could tell he was getting worn down.

The sound of the arena doors opening prompted her to turn her head and she saw Sora and his animalistic companions running into the arena. As much as she wanted to take a crack at the so-called hero, Kaida had no other choice but to retreat. With whatever strength she had left, she summoned a pool of darkness underneath her and vanished. "Take care of this, Cerberus."

* * *

It was no surprise that Sora defeated Cerberus. Of course, Hercules did a number on the tri-headed canine before the boy intervened. The spiky brunet would've ended up Cerberus' snack if it weren't for that, but of course he acted as if he was the greatest hero alive.

After returning a tired and defeated Cerberus back to the Underworld, Kaida went back to the Coliseum. The moment she stepped out of the corridor of darkness and into the courtyard, she saw Hades looking at a small projection of Hercules in his hand.

"He's strong, he's kind, he's always there for you, and he's handsome to boot. He's…perfect. Perfect…"

_Here we go again,_ Kaida mentally groaned as she watched.

"Perfectly INFURIATIONG!" Hades screamed, his entire body turning fiery red, "IT MAKES ME CRAZY!"

Kaida quickly ducked from the torrent of flames and straightened back up when the fire had ceased. "You mind turning down the heat, Hades?" she asked curtly, "I don't want my hair extra crispy like the last time!"

Hades huffed as he returned to his normal blue hue, ignoring the irritated female. "Wait a minute. What are you worried about? All the pieces are in place. Here's what you do: let Hercules train the kid. In the next games, I'll take care of them both."

"Yeah, let me know how that turns out for you," Kaida deadpanned, "You just keep on fighting to your heart's desire. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd better head home to get some real work done." She then muttered under her breath, "Later, Lord Loser."

The Lord of the Underworld glared coldly at her as she left through a dark corridor.

* * *

"I have to WHAT!?"

There was not one person in the castle that didn't hear the raven-haired teenager's outburst.

"You've got to be kidding me!" said Kaida, incredulously.

"I do not kid on such matters, Kaida," Maleficent said, "You should know that."

The young teenager looked at her mother disbelievingly. "It's one thing to let him stay with us, but pairing me with him? I'd rather be stabbed to death than work with that wimp!"

"I'm afraid you have no choice, my dear," Maleficent said, her lips in a tight scowl. She was beginning to lose her patience, "From now on, you and Riku shall be working together for the remainder of his stay. Disobey me and there will be consequences. Am I clear, Kaida?"

Anger burned in her hazel eyes, but she reluctantly replied, "Yes, mother."

Kaida stormed her way out of the throne room. Riku had just approach the doors when they swung open and he jumped back to avoid getting hit.

His cyan eyes widened a fraction as he watched the ebony-haired girl stomp through the hall in a fit of rage. _Wonder what's with her?_

"Riku," Maleficent called from inside the throne room, "may I have a word with you?"

* * *

Later that evening, Riku came out into the courtyard to see Kaida practicing.

"I'm not in the mood to talk, Silverlocks."

"Riku," he corrected.

Kaida didn't respond and continued to swing her blade at her invisible opponents. When she still hasn't said another word, Riku took the opportunity to speak. "Look, I get it. You hate me, and believe me, the feeling's pretty mutual. But since we're gonna be partners until I find my missing friends, I figured-"

A dark chuckle escaped from the girl's lips. "What's so funny?" he asked quizzically.

"You think you're strong enough to beat me?" asked Kaida with a conceited tone.

"I think I have a good chance," Riku replied warily. He didn't like where she was going with this.

"I'd like to see you try."

"Is that an insult?"

The raven-haired girl did one fluid swing and the tree fell to the ground with a loud thud. Riku didn't flinch as the tip of her keyblade merely touched the tip of his nose.

Kaida leaned in close, Warrior's Spirit still pointed threateningly at him. "It's a challenge."

* * *

_**So sorry for the EXTREMELY long wait! :( **_

_**I'll be working on this as well as the other fanfic I've started 'KH The Last Unicorn' and hopefully the updates will come sooner. If they don't, then I am truly sorry for being such a slow writer. :(**_

_**I know, this chapter isn't too great, but I'll try to do better for the next one.**_

_**Also, I saw the reviews for that little mess up for the previous chapter and I fixed that. You're welcome! :)**_

_**I'll be alternating between the two stories so expect the next chapter for "The Last Unicorn" coming up soon!**_

_**Anyway, please favorite, follow, and/or review! **_

_**Until next time, later taters!**_


	6. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

Hey you guys!

I know you're all waiting for the next chapter for "Lost in Darkness", but I'm afraid that it'll be a much longer wait than I anticipated.

You see, I'm flying up to go visit my sister for the summer and to go work at her business. As for how long I'll be gone, well...here's the rub. I'm going to be gone for at least about a month or two, so unfortunately I won't be able to update my stories as much as I had planned to.

But while I'm away, I'll be working future chapters for both "Lost in Darkness" as well as "KH The Last Unicorn" so that way in the future, you won't have to wait so long for an update. I have no guarantees that the next chapter will be up before summer is over but I can promise you that these stories will go on!

I DEEPLY apologize for the inconveniences!

Once I'm back, this notice will be removed when I put up the next chapter.

So until I return, I hope everyone has an amazing summer and be sure to check out my YouTube channel for some fun in the sun!

Later taters!


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